Walks in Derbyshire by train
MapA day hike in the countryside is just a simple train journey away — explore the most charmingly located railway stations in Derbyshire and plan your next day of green.
Derby Circular via Allestree Park
Parks, river and heritage trail.
Museum of Making (30 mins in)
6 lunch spots: Darley Park (1h15 in) — Darley Park Terrace Cafe, the Little Darley in the Park, the Abbey Inn, or the Darleys; plus the Joiners Arms (3h in), or the Orangery Café (4h in)
4 end-of-walk rewards: the Alexandra Hotel, the Brunswick, the Victoria Inn, or the Waterfall
Adapted from: the Leicester Ramblers.
Similar walk: North Staffordshire Community Rail Partnership.
Duffield to Derby
7 minutes direct from Derby.
Repurposed railway track along the Great Northern Greenway.
Duffield Castle: The remains of one of England's largest castles (National Trust; 30 mins to visit).
2 lunch spots: the Bell and Harp (1h in), or the Three Horseshoes (2h15 in)
4 end-of-walk rewards: the Alexandra Hotel, the Brunswick, the Waterfall, or the Merry Widows
Warnings: Follows a busy road for a sixth of the walk.
Adapted from: the Leicester Ramblers.
Derby to Long Eaton
7 minutes direct from Derby.
Waterways — River Derwent, Derby & Sandiacre Canal and Erewash Canal.
2 lunch spots: Canal Cottage Cafe (2h45 in), or the Navigation (3h15 in)
2 end-of-walk rewards: Peking House, or the Sawley Junction
Adapted from: the Leicester Ramblers.
Spondon Circular via Dale Abbey
5 minutes direct from Derby.
Villages, park grounds and ornamental lake.
2 lunch spots: Dale Abbey (2h in) — the Carpenters Arms, or the Friar's House
4 end-of-walk rewards: the Vernon Arms, the White Swan, the Hoptimist-Spondon, or the Malt Shovel
Adapted from: the Leicester Ramblers.
Long Eaton to Ilkeston
45 minutes from Derby, with one change.
Canal, industrial towns and disused railway viaduct.
Waterway: nine tenths along the Erewash Canal.
3 lunch spots: Hallam Fields, Ilkeston (2h30 in) — Gallows Grub, or the Gallows Inn; plus La Rock (1h15 in)
1 end-of-walk reward: the Dew Drop Inn
Adapted from: the Leicester Ramblers.
Belper Circular via Kilburn
15 minutes direct from Derby.
Hilly countryside with several steep climbs. Alport Heights — a 314 m peak five miles away — is visible from the route on clear days. Route passes Holbrook.
Warnings: Several steep climbs.
Walk details: Derwent Valley Line Community Rail Partnership (local insights).
Similar walk: Visit Amber Valley (PDF).
Ambergate Circular via Pentrich
15 minutes direct from Derby.
Mixture of hilly and flat terrain with stiles along the way. Telling the story of the Pentrich Rising of 1817, exploring the local men who took part. Route passes through Fritchley and South Wingfield.
Walk details: Derwent Valley Line Community Rail Partnership (local insights).
Cromford Circular via Lea Bridge
30 minutes direct from Derby.
Historic cotton mill, former railway track to High Peak Junction, canal towpath, deer park, bluebell woodland in Lea Wood, riverside fields and crossing of the River Derwent.
Walk details: Visit Amber Valley (PDF).
Similar walk: East Midlands Railway.
Matlock Circular via Nine Ladies Stone Circle
30 minutes direct from Derby.
Nine Ladies is a Bronze Age stone circle constructed between 3300-900 BCE; legend associates stones with women punished for Sunday dancing.
Walk details: Walk Midlands (tips, photos and local insights).
Grindleford Circular via Surprise View
45 minutes from Derby, with one change.
Quite possibly the best views in the whole of the Hope Valley. Ancient mixed woodland with rocky brook and footbridges, open moorland and gritstone edge. Detailed route map, photographs and route preview video available.
Hilly: a quarter on high ground, rising above the surrounding land.
Woodland: a third under tree cover.
Walk details: Let's Go Peak District (tips, photos, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).
Hathersage Circular via Stanage Edge
45 minutes from Derby, with one change.
Green valley, gritstone escarpment edge, open moorland plateaus, ancient hill fort, narrow wooded gorge with tumbling waterfalls and quiet river pastures.
Warnings: Can be muddy.
Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).
Hope Circular via Hope Cross
1 hour from Derby, with one change.
The most magnificent views of the Hope Valley, the Edale Valley and even into the Derwent Valley. Hill trails over moorland and an old Roman road. Detailed route map, photographs and route preview video available.
Walk details: Let's Go Peak District (tips, photos, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).